Ugandans to get expert training in bamboo value addition

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Ugandans engaged in bamboo farming are set to undergo a 14-day specialised training on how to extract bamboo charcoal and wood fuel while ensuring environmental sustainability.

The training, titled Charcoal Processing through Utilisation of Wood & Bamboo, will be conducted by experts from the China National Bamboo Research Center at the Ministry of Water and Environment offices in Luzira.

While briefing trainees and stakeholders at the Chinese Embassy on March 16, 2025, Prof Dr Wu Tonggui, deputy director-general of the China National Bamboo Research Center, said the training was initiated by former Minister Zhang Jianlong, following a Chinese forestry delegation visit to Uganda in 2015.

During that visit, China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment on cooperation in forestry and eco-conservation. Wu highlighted that Uganda’s bamboo industry was prioritised to promote poverty alleviation and ecological conservation.

To date, over 200 Ugandan professionals, including 11 ministerial officials, have received specialised training in Chinese programmes.

“Collaborations such as these training sessions will deepen bamboo species introduction, advance processing technologies, and support the construction of regional training hubs,” he said.

Wu further explained that the Chinese government is promoting the Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic Initiative as part of its green development strategy.

“We are pleased that this initiative aligns with Uganda’s National Bamboo Strategy and Action Plan, launched in 2019. By raising public awareness and sharing bamboo and wood charcoal processing techniques, this training provides a valuable opportunity for participants to appreciate the bamboo and forestry sector’s potential,” he added.

The training, which commenced on Monday, is funded by China’s Ministry of Commerce and Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment. Participants include members of the Uganda Bamboo Association, Nyabyeya Forestry College, the National Forestry Resources Research Institute, and officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Officiating at the event, Chinese Ambassador to Uganda Zhang Lizhong explained that the training would equip participants with skills in bamboo processing, charcoal production, and other value-added benefits of bamboo.

“Our experts will introduce bamboo varieties suitable for Uganda so that future farmers can make informed planting decisions. Over the next two weeks, participants should take this opportunity to learn from experts on bamboo charcoal processing technologies,” Lizhong said.

He added that bamboo has become a major industry in China, contributing approximately $75 billion to the national GDP. Bamboo products in China include artefacts, architectural materials, and furniture, among others.

Lizhong further noted that bamboo, as a renewable energy resource and low-carbon emitter, aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands.

Commenting on the initiative, Uganda Bamboo Association chairperson Flavia Nabugere—also a former Minister of State for Water—explained that efforts to promote bamboo have led to the development of Uganda’s National Bamboo Strategy (2019-2029) and the Uganda Bamboo Association 5-Year Strategic Plan (2021-2026), which have guided the sector’s growth.

She noted that association members have planted bamboo on 500 hectares of degraded forest land in Nakasongola, covering over 50% of the area. Since 2012, farmers across Uganda have planted bamboo, significantly increasing domestic resources.

However, Nabugere pointed out that bamboo planting has been sporadic, with farmers growing different varieties without a clear plan for value addition. She emphasised the need for a survey and mapping census to establish the quantity of bamboo grown in Uganda.

“This training is timely as it addresses our hunger for value addition to bamboo for energy and other products. It will also motivate bamboo farmers by answering a key question: ‘Where is the market for bamboo?’” she said.

Mwebaze Walter, a participant representative, noted that bamboo remains relatively unpopular in Africa due to limited awareness. However, in countries like China, bamboo has already been proven to offer a better alternative to wood biomass for charcoal production.